1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to strap hangers, and, more specifically, to a universal heavy bag hanger for securing a heavy bag or the like to an overhead horizontal support member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heavy punching bags can weigh as much as 150 lb. Such bags, especially those for professional use, can exert significant forces on any mounting structure on which they are supported. Heavy bag hangers come in many different forms. Some of such hangers are metal brackets configured to be screwed into wooden beams, with or without swivels. Heavy bag hangers are also made for attachment to joists. Some heavy duty bag hangers are also designed to be supported by I-beams and are adjustable to accommodate a range of I-beam widths.
Aside from overhead mounting structures, heavy duty wall mounts are also known, typically in the form of a horizontal cantilevered beam or member attached to a wall at one end with the heavy bag mounted from the other end. However, to stabilize the cantilevered beam or member lateral braces are typically provided to maintain the horizontal beam in a fixed position normal to the wall or support surface. Also, because some heavy bags are extra long, reaching approximately 4 feet, they cannot be mounted too close to a wall since the bag would hit the supporting wall or surface. For this reason, some wall mounted hangers have supporting beams that reach 26 inches or more from the wall. However, the longer the supporting beam and the further the bag is mounted from the wall, the more heavily the supporting beam must be braced to the wall to prevent undesired movements. This makes some wall hangers massive, heavy and costly.
The disadvantages of all of the aforementioned heavy bag hangers is that they require tools and fasteners to be mounted. Because heavy bags weigh, as indicated, up to 150 lb, the fasteners tend to be substantial and inserting the fasteners into joists or wooden beams can be difficult and may require the use of power tools.
Heavy bags have, accordingly, also been supported by free-standing heavy bag stands or multiple station gyms. However, such stands and gyms tend to have large footprints and require extensive assembly. Furthermore, such bag stands and gyms can be very costly, ranging into the thousands of dollars.
Some hangers for suspending other objects that do not require installation or use of tools are also known.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,376 to Montgomery discloses a hanger holder for use in the laundry cleaning industry. The patent discloses a device for organizing and holding a group of clothes hangers in a laundry basket. The hanger holder includes an elongate strap in two different embodiment. In both cases, the strap is designed to loop about the laundry basket and Velcro pads or strips are used to secure the hanger or hangers to the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,657 to DeAth discloses a suspension device for hammocks and other objects. The device includes a shorter and wider gripping belt and a more narrow and longer spanning belt, loops being used to secure the belt to the gripping belt or strap. The remote ends of the belt are provided with securing means, such as a snap hook, for securing to a hammock. The device is intended to suspend a variety of objects from a variety of load bearing members. Although the device is shown used to secure a hammock to a tree, which is vertical, it is believed that the intention of the patented device is to a secure variety of objects to numerous load bearing members with little or no slippage. The gripping belt is described as being made of a material of sufficient strength and quality to support the load of the hammock and be sufficiently pliable to conform to the shape of the load bearing members and made of a material such as polypropylene, nylon or polyester. However, the patent does not teach or suggest the use of reinforcing members, such as steel bars or strips nor the use of a rubberized or other like inside surface to enhance friction. Additionally, the suspension device of this patent is not a self adjusting and self-locking or tightening device that increases the grip and frictional forces on the support member as a function of the weight or load applied.
In Kemper U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,933 a cable locking and retaining device is disclosed for supporting relatively light weight objects, such as extension cords, by means of a belt using a simple VELCRO strap.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,740 to Scherb a flexible strap hanger is disclosed for use in hanging fresh meats, such as beef, to be suspended from an overhead support. The device uses a sliding bar fastener that can slide along the straps to receive an upper loop and allow the strap to be secured to an overhead bar.
However, none of the known hanging or suspending devices allow a heavy bag to be easily, quickly and conveniently mounted on or removed from any horizontal beam or support member without the use of hand tools or power tools.